I also felt sick inside, and a whole truckload of compassion for the queen. I could imagine the conversation, sorry sister, that my son tried to banish or kill your daughter, pass the butter?
The little shit was going to completely destroy the royal family with his actions, it was a hundred times worse than if it had been the seneschal. When all this came out, and it would, it would destroy the royal family, and the kingdom would at the very least lose morale and faith in their ruling family. What a damned mess.
I was still unsure about a few things. Firstly, if it was Vaeril how does the heart and forest get destroyed by the cursed blight, the poisonous grubs. Even that evil bastard wouldn’t want that to happen. Secondly, how did he handle the grubs and enhance them with his hatred, since the witch may have made it but he most definitely enhanced it with his poisonous emotions, why didn’t they attack his magic? Maybe it only attacked positive emotions laced with the magic, perhaps negative emotions didn’t prompt an attack?
I was just guessing, I really had no idea if that distinction could even make a difference, or was even possible.
Thirdly, how the hell was I supposed to tell the queen what I found out? What if she didn’t believe me, or refused to check the warehouse. I could picture the conversation now, Sorry Aleisia, but your son’s a spiteful hateful psychopath who is behind everything, and I’m afraid you’ll have to execute your son and heir along with your niece. Tough break, pass the sprouts?
I knew the truth though, I was mostly worried about three because I didn’t want the queen to hate me. I knew exactly how to tell her, open my mouth and start talking, but I was afraid. Shooting the messenger was a cliché for a reason after all.
Perhaps it was cowardice, but only partly that, when I decided to put it off for right now. The first reason I used to convince myself, was the first thing I didn’t know. How did the forest end up getting destroyed by the blight? It was the biggest reason I was here, and if the queen got mad and sent me away after my report, I might not be around to find out, or stop it. Although, telling the queen may stop it in and of itself, but that wasn’t a guarantee.
The second reason was related to the first, if I was sent away in her grief and anger, I wouldn’t be here to take away Edea when she was hopefully banished, instead of being outright killed for her transgression of magic use.
I was conflicted about it to say the least, and once again felt like I’d gotten in way over my head. I would come clean about it though, I was just… managing the timing a bit. What was one afternoon anyway, the trial was tonight after dinner.
We got back to the palace, and I said, “Thanks Saida, I’m going to take a bath before lunch, so…”
She smiled shyly, and I didn’t punch her in the face. I felt sorry for her, but not that sorry. Then she left the room, and I took a bath. I may have just had one a few hours ago, and had only said that to get rid of her, but If I skipped it I’d be a liar.
The rest of the day was tense, as I argued with myself, and wondered if holding in the truth for just a bit longer wasn’t a huge mistake. I was a confident powerful woman, but I was also just eighteen, and had only found out three weeks ago how sheltered and naïve I truly was. I was confident in myself, and my abilities, but my sense of politics and running an investigation were all new to me.
I didn’t want to screw it up.
After dinner, I followed the royal family through the corridors into a new part of the palace I’d never been in. The place was truly gigantic, and a big old maze besides. We went into a room with a stone floor, the walls were polished and shiny, and there were several glowing lights as night was falling. There were several chairs and tables set up, as well as a dais with six other elves on it. They were high up on their chairs, with a long podium like desk before them all.
The six elves looked at me curiously, only two seemed to have a thing against humans based on their emotions, but the other four also looked annoyed at my presence, or something to do with me. The queen walked up on the dais, and took the seventh and central chair, which was raised slightly higher than the rest.
The rest of us took seats in the back, behind the tables resting on the floor. It looked slightly reminiscent of a court room, but only slightly.
I realized then, that this was the elven council. Somehow the queen had not only taken me into her home, and welcomed me to her personal dining table, but had also shielded me from their attention and politics, to leave me free to do what I had to do. I also felt ashamed that I hadn’t told the queen the truth yet. Still, I didn’t think it would affect the trial at all, her guilt for using forbidden magic wouldn’t change.
Still, if they tried to pin the grubs on her too, I’d have to come clean in council. Which… would really piss the queen off, that I didn’t tell her in private first. Damn it.
A moment later Edea walked in with iron cuffs and chains around her wrists and ankles. I was glad once again I was what I was, no one could turn my super mind powers off with iron.
Aleisia said, “Let this judgement begin.”
Chapter Sixteen
Aleisia said, “Edea Ravadan, you have been accused of two violations of Elven law. The first was that you knowingly and purposefully did poison the heart of the forest. The second accusation is that you knowingly and purposefully performed forbidden magic within the heart of the forest. Do you wish to admit guilt for either of these accusations before we listen to the accounts?”
I was impressed how in command and calm she seemed, inside though, the queen was a mess of emotions. It perversely made me feel better about my own confusion and doubt, and equally depressed me. That meant I probably wouldn’t grow out of it, after all, the queen was six hundred years old.
Edea cleared her throat, “The second accusation is true, and I will accept whatever punishment you decide is appropriate. The first accusation is not the truth, I did not poison the heart.”
Aleisia said, “Very well, the accused is guilty of that charge,” she turned to the table where Eloen and Ayda sat at, “You will confine your testimony to the charge of poisoning the heart, though you may still refer to magic use if, and only if, it’s relevant to the first charge.”
When they nodded, Aleisia said, “Eloen, please tell me what you saw.”
Eloen stood, “It was after lunch your majesty, and I was escorting Princess Aida for her daily communion with the heart of the forest. When we arrived, I saw Edea on her knees by the wilting tree, with her hands in the soil wielding her magic. Right under her was one of the poisonous grubs. When she saw the princess and I walking toward her, she turned red, panicked, and ran. I apprehended her with a spell knocking her unconscious, and took her to the dungeon.”
Aleisia asked, “Did you witness her bury the grub?”
Eloen replied, “No your majesty, I did not. If I may offer an opinion?”
Aleisia waved at her to continue.
Eloen said, “I do not believe that she buried the grub. I believe her to be foolhardy, and that her intention was to help and protect the heart, and her panic was only related to her guilt for the second accusation. I ask for mercy from the council when deciding her punishment for the second accusation.”
Aleisia looked back and forth, “Any questions from the council?”
One man asked, “Why do you believe she is innocent of poisoning the heart? Since her arrest, it hasn’t happened again, and that very same tree is on its way to recovery.”
Eloen bowed her head, and then replied, “Because the investigator sent by Arelleas to save our heart and forest, believes that there is a conspiracy behind the poisoning, and she stated that Edea was innocent of that charge. Shortly after stating her beliefs, she was the target of a failed assassination, which would be an indication she is getting close to the truth. It is not so hard to believe, many have doubted the wisdom of allowing a half-elf among us, some more than others.”
There was a pregnant silence.
Aleisia asked, “Anyone else have a quest
ion?”
There were none, so she directed Eloen to sit, and called her sister to stand. Ayda told a very similar story, and begged the council to clear her daughter of the first charge and have mercy on the second. From their emotions, it was clear to me that they believed both Ayda and Eloen, but as for how they would vote on the first charge I had no idea. But it wasn’t over yet, and Aleisia had Edea stand.
“You will tell us what occurred in your own words.”
I was familiar with her testimony, she’d already told it to me in her cell. She got a bit more detailed on what she was thinking, and how frustrated she was. That it was a mad impulse to try and succeed where pure elven magic had fallen short. She’d barely gotten started when her mother and Eloen had shown up.
Which might have been a good thing, the grub might have poisoned her if she poked at it with her magic in an attempt to discover what it was and how to stop it. She looked way too young to be tried like an adult, but that was on my world. I also had to remind myself, that the young teenager was seventy-five, just over four times my own age. Still, the elves matured and aged much more slowly, I wasn’t so sure comparing her to a fourteen-year-old human was wrong.
Aleisia asked, “Any questions for the accused?”
One asked, “Have you used your magic before that?”
Edea shook her head, “Only in the allowed manner, to commune with the forest and nature.”
There was a long silence.
Aleisia said, “Please wait here while we discuss the facts.”
The seven of them got up, and filed off the dais and into a door on the back wall. I resisted the urge to whip out my telepathy into one of their minds and snoop on the discussion and vote, barely.
It was tense in the room, and I felt a smugness coming off the prince I really didn’t like, but resisted the urge to look in his mind. At least Saida’s mind hadn’t been a sewer, just a whole lot of doubts that she was doing the right thing. There was no way I wanted his memories, emotions, and prejudices in my mind for the rest of my life.
It didn’t take long for a decision, they were back in less than ten minutes, and I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad as they took their seats.
Aleisia was still calm, and I hoped that was a good sign. I didn’t have long to wait before we all found out.
“The accused has been found innocent of the first accusation. The judgement for the second…”
The queen stopped talking mid-sentence as prince Vaeril stood.
His voice was cold, “I declare blood right.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but the color left the queen’s face. The elves were a fair race to begin with, but her face was literally chalk white, and for a moment I thought she would faint.
“What’s that?” I whispered.
Saida shook her head, but I lifted it from her mind as it went across her public mind and thoughts.
Blood right was a barbarism. It was when a person accused of a crime had sullied the honor of the family, a family member was able to declare blood right, after which their family’s honor was restored. Reason being, it was actual a risk of life and limb, since the blood right was a duel to the death. It was thought anyone willing to kill their own family member, and by so sternly taking the side of the law, would restore their family honor.
Barbaric, and ridiculous, by my standards anyway.
If the sick look of horror on the queen’s face was any indication, as she looked at her son as if she didn’t know him at all, I’d say I wasn’t the only one who thought it was a sick and perverse ancient tradition.
The rest of the room was shocked as well, or at least, most of them were. To my everlasting sorrow, I felt approval radiating from a handful of people. Well, damn half-elves should be put down, right?
I felt sick too, if I had told the queen earlier, would the prince be locked up right now, and Edea simply banished and not facing a fight for her life? What had I just caused by my inaction?
Perhaps it was maudlin, but the fake conversation popped up into my head from earlier, and updated, sorry sister, that my son the psychotic unbalanced bigot from the depths of hell killed your daughter in a barbaric tradition, pass the butter?
I didn’t even want to think what mine would be. Sorry Aleisia, but your son’s a spiteful hateful psychopath who is behind everything, and I’m afraid you’ll have to execute your son and heir now. Sorry I kept it a secret and got your niece killed by the murderous asshat. Tough break, pass the sprouts?
I suddenly realized the truth.
This was the point of his plan the whole time. Not to get rid of a half-elf he hates, that his mother decided to welcome to the family. No, all of this was designed for one end, so that he’d get to be the one to murder her. So he could feel the sword go in, and twist it. This was his true end game, he wanted to feel the pleasure of taking her life.
No, I wasn’t reading his mind, but his emotions were smug satisfaction, hatred, disgust, and a very excited anticipation, with disturbingly lustful overtones. That’s all I needed to know, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hard right now under that armor. I wanted to stop it, I wanted to expose him, but it was too late. By the rules of the law and the challenge, even if I accused him right now it wouldn’t stop a thing, he’d just get his trial and execution afterward. I’d really screwed up.
Aleisia finally found her voice, but it sounded dead, beaten, and lifeless, “Very well, we will move this to the courtyard. Guards, remove the chains from my niece, and find her a sword. If she tries to wield magic, kill her.”
The whole roomful of people started to file through the palace, to another section I hadn’t been in, but I also knew from my mental mapping the last few days, that it was very close to the stables as we exited outside.
It was dark out, and the moonlight was bright, but not that bright. The soldiers put up some lights, and I was a little surprised to see the same sized fight circle as I had in Magehaven. Maybe the races had been closer in the dim reaches of antiquity.
Wow, dim reaches of antiquity? That’s what I got for reading those damned history books.
I felt nervous, as one of the guards handed Edea a saber. It wasn’t nearly a fair fight though, the prince had armor on. I really hoped Edea won anyway, not just because I wouldn’t have to feel guilty for the rest of my life for getting her killed, but because I really liked her.
This was horrifying. Aleisia and Ayda were standing close together, both staring in dread at their children, no matter what happened it would be a terrible blow. If the evil one won, then he’d still die as a traitor once I told the truth. If Edea managed to win, she’d be banished, and the queen would lose her son to death by her niece’s hand, and also lose Ayda when she followed her daughter. I felt like I was in the middle of a Shakespearean tragedy.
I also vowed never to make this mistake again, and hold back critical information until the time was right. What a ridiculous idea that was, no time is right to tell a woman her son is a crazy murderer who risked the elven forest just to get around her own orders to accept her niece.
Risk the forest, something was scratching at my mind again, but I was numb and in shock at this turn of events. I took a deep breath and tried to think, but then the fight started.
I had to admit, I was impressed by the speed and grace the elves fought with, especially Edea. She looked so small and helpless, but she held the sword and used it like she’d been training a lifetime. And of course, she had been, a human lifetime at any rate.
I gasped in a breath, as I realized I’d been holding it, while they made several passes at each other. Both of them moved liked the wind, parry, dodge, stab, slash, block, over and over again, it seemed like it would never end.
Then there was a loud snap, and most of Edea’s sword went flying. I felt a stronger burst of smugness and excitement from Vaeril, that asshole had even set this up, and set up Edea with a bad sword. The match was all but over, as all she held was a hilt, cross guard, and maybe a c
entimeter of jagged metal in her hand.
Vaeril laughed as he lunged forward and swung his sword at Edea’s neck.
What I didn’t expect, was Edea’s simultaneous lunge, she barely made it inside Varian’s guard, and she took a hit from his pommel in her shoulder as a payment for the move. But she tackled him, wrapped her left arm and legs around his body, and then stabbed the jagged edge of the sword into the side of his throat.
Holy shit.
I watched as Prince Vaeril’s life blood spurted from his throat in a great torrent, and Edea dropped to her feet, and pushed him onto his ass.
I’d never really believed she could win, which is probably why I didn’t think of the answer sooner, but then it finally hit me. Why I was here. I hadn’t changed anything at all the last few days, all I’d done is find the truth. This was always going to happen, Edea was always going to win, and it was only now as his eyes turned glassy that I understood what destroys the forest. That insane selfish prick. I just hoped I wasn’t already too late…
Chapter Seventeen
I knew I’d been right as I teleported above the building, damn the dress it was dark anyway. With his death, the shield he’d had around the warehouse was gone. That shield wasn’t just keeping the elves from feeling the grubs, it was also keeping the grubs inside the building. I felt them all now, little grubs of hate and poison, a dark blight digging into the ground and spreading out.
Hundreds of them. And they were carrying millions of seeds. No wonder the elves couldn’t stop it from finding the heart, and forest, and destroying it. I also knew already that I was not too late. Grubs were slow after all, even magical hateful ones, and the prince had just died moments ago. I reached out with my mind, and used pyro-kinesis. I killed a score at a time, each second, incinerating them in the ground, but it was still a scramble to get them all before any reached one of the trees or vines throughout the city.
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